Side-slipping weft detector



Mar. 5, 1929. TURNER 1,703,910

SIDE SLIPPING WEFT DETECTOR Filed May 4, 192'! P/bfiom G Z/mer tion of weft exhaustion. It is a further ob- 1 provide a detector wherein t e axis of the- Patented Mar. 5, 1229i UNITED sr TES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD G. TURNEB OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON & KNOWLES LOOM WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSAGHI'ISETTS.

SIDE-SLIPPING WE FT DETECTOR.

Application "filed my 4, 1927. Serial no. 188,824.

This invention relates to weft detectors for looms and it is the principal object of the inverition to provide a simple and inexpensive weft detector more particularly of the side slipping type wherein a single spring is effective not only to cause side slippingof the detector to indicate weft exhaustion but also to restore said detector to normal position after a non-indicating movement.

When weft detectors are applied to the usual form of multi-color weft replenishing mechanisms it is customary to provide an actuating lever which floats on the top of a vertically reciprocating rod. At indication of weft exhaustion downward movement of the lever is interrupted'so as to 'initiatereplenishment but when sufiicient weft is present the actuator lever isfree to move downwardly' without interruption.- Also, .onthis type of replenishing mechanism, it is necessal'yto withdraw the feeler on the transferring pick of the loom to clear the path for the incoming bobbin and to prevent repetition of indicaject of my invention to provide a detector of a single piece of material formed to cooperate with the actuator lever and the withdrawingmeans and also having a weft engaging detecting surface, said detector being held in place by a single spring. 7 1

It is a further object ofm invention to resilient element for the detector assumes three diiferent forms, the first being the form when the detector is in normal or inactive position, the second corresponding to the nonindicating but detecting position of the detector, and the last being the form assumed when the detector is in indicating position.

It is a further object of my invention to form the detector wire in such a way that the same will cooperate with the withdraw ing means to move the control part of the detector froml under the actuator lever in such a way as to insure proper withdrawal to prevent slipping or ac'cidentalmovement of the detector away from the withdrawing means. With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims. a

direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1, parts being in,

section,

K Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig. ,1,

Fig. 4 is an'enlarged detailed section on 7 line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the detector moved to indicating position in contact with a bobbin carr ing an insuf ficient supply of weft, the fee er bein indicatedin withdrawn position in dotte lines.

Referring to the drawings I have rovided a feeler stand 10 having a vertical s 0t 11 to receive the outer end of an actuating lever 12 which is given a downward movement on each detecting beat ofthe loom. The manner in which the lever 12 is connected to the replenishing mechanism is set forth more in ly in the patent to Ryon No. 1,030,748 to which reference may be had. The transfer arm 13- is mounted on a fixed stud 14 and has a depending arm 15 for a purpose to be set forth.

The stand 10 has bolted thereto an ad- U j ustable feeler bed-20 which is provided with a rib 21 on which rests a cap 22." Said rib 21 is provided at the rear. art thereof with the sui'face 23 and atthe orward end thereof with another surface 24, said surfaces 23 and 24 being lower than the top of the rib 21 and acting as guides for the detector 25.

The rib 21 is formed with a shoulder 26 adjacent the surface 23 .to serve as astop for the detector. By means of bolt 27 extending through slot 28 in the bed 20 vertical ad- 'ustment of the detector may be effected and y means of slot- 29 formed on the stand 10 horizontal adjustment of said detector may he obtained.

' The detector 25 is formed of a single piece of wire the rear end ofwhich is bent as in Fig.1 and provided with a roughened yarn engaging surface 30. Said detector extends between and is held against improper vertical displacement by the bed 20 and cap 22, the space between the cap and the surfaces 23 and 24 being just sunicient to permit free lateral movement of the detector. The de .tector extends forwardly of the bed and may have a bent portion 31 which terminates in a forwardly extending portion 32. The withdrawing part 33 extends substantially parallel to the bobbin B in the shuttle Sand is perpendicular to the plane in which the arm 15 moves. From the withdrawing portion 33 the detector extends rearwardly as indicated at 34 and may have a part bent back on itself as at 35 and another portion 36 constituting the controller for the actuator.

In order to hold the detector in normal position ll provide the cap 22 with an upstanding lug 40 through which extends a holding screw 41 shown more particularly in Fig. 4. Threads of said screw are of such a pitch as to receive the coils of a helical spring 42. The left end of said spring as viewed in Fig. 1 receives the portion 35 of the de-,

tector' and is held in position frictionally by the coils of the spring. By turning the spring 42 with respect to the threads of the screw 41 the said spring may be adjusted toward or from the actuator lever 12. The feeler stand has a shelf 50 on which the detector parts 35 and 36 may slide.

Under normal conditions the parts will be in the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 with the roughened end 30 of the detector in its rearmost position to be engaged by the advancingsupply of weft and with the controller end 36 resting on the shelf 50 under the actuator lever 12. The spring 42 will be proportioned to hold the detector against the shoulder 26 and the arm 15 will be in the position indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

So long as sufficient weft is present the detector will be held against lateral movement along the bobbin and will move forwardly from the dotted to the full line position shown in Fig. 1, thereby withdrawing the controller end 36 from under the actuator lever 12 to permit the latter to descend uninterruptedly. Under these conditions the spring will be iven the form substantially the same as indicated in full lines in Fig. 1 wherein the ends of the spring are substantially parallel but offset from each other.

When insufficient yarn for continued weaving remains on the bobbin B the spring will act to cause said detector to slide along "the bobbin to the position indicated in Fig. 5. Under these conditions the spring will be bent somewhat as indicated in Fig. 5 but the controller end 36 will remain under the actuator lever 12 to interrupt the downward movement of the latter and thus initiate replenishment. As the lay recedes the spring will straighten out to the position indicated in. dotted lines spring.

in Fig.1 to restore the detector to normal position against the shoulder 26. The con troller end 36 will be of sufficient length to nemain under the actuator lever when the spring assumes the position indicated in Fig. 5.

On a subsequent pick when transfer takes place the arm 15 will be moved to the left as Viewed in Fig. 2 toward withdrawing portion 33 and will engage the latter to move the con troller end 36 forwardly from under the actuator lever 12. Said arm will engage the part 32 of the wire detector so that the latter will form with the'withdrawing portion 33 a bend or corner which will insure proper with drawal of the controller from the actuator. At the same time the detector will be moved out of the path of the incoming bobbin. The position which the parts assume at the time of withdrawing is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 5. I

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simple weft detector wherein a single wire engages the surface to be detected, cooperates with the actuator, is engaged by the withdrawing means and affords attaching means for a spring which serves to hold the detector in normal position. It will further be seen that l have provided a detector wherein a coil spring has one end anchored or secured with respect to the feeler support and the other end freely movable and attached to a detector, said spring yielding so as to bend its axis when indicating weft exhaustion and bending to produce an offset in its axis to permit forward yielding of the detector on non-indicating beats of the loom.

Asshown herein the normal position of the spring is with the axis thereof in a substantially straight line, this axis being deformed to assume two different shapes depending upon whether the feelcr is or is not indicating, the axis of the spring receiving a. compound deflection on non-indicating detecting beats and a simple deflection on indicating beats. On non-indicating beats certain of the coils will be expanded or placed under tension on the front side of the spring and certain other coils will be placed under a similar strain on the rear side of the spring, but on indicating beats the coils which will bestretched apart will lie on-one side of the I do not wish to be limited to the form of the spring set forth nor to the shapes which the axis thereof assumes in the vary ing positions which the detector assumes, as similar results can be attained from springs the axes of which are not necessarily the same as that set forth in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

lit will be noted by reference to the drawings that as the feeler moves forwardly the spring 42 resists deflection and tends to move the controller end 36 under the actuator level, this being the action of course which is relied upon to move the notched end 30 along the bobbin to detect. At the time of transfer the rear end 30 is moved in advance of the bobbin and is therefore not restrained by the yarn with the result that the controller end 36 would move rearwardly under the actuator lever 12 to repeat the indication were such action not restrained by'the forwardly extending portion 32 of the wire'being in contact with the depending arm 15 'on the transferer. The parts, when the feeler is fully withdrawn by the transfe'rer, are as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5 where it will be seen that the controller is out of the path of the actuator.

I claim:

1. In a side slipping weft detector for looms having a detecting element which moves forwardly without side slipping movement when sufficient weft is present but which slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhaustion a stand for said detector, anda resilient member interposed between the stand and the detector to hold the detector normally yieldingly in detecting position, said mounting comprlsing a helically coiled spring which is given a compound deflection on nonindicating detecting movements of the detector and is given a simple deflection on indicat ing movements of the detector, said springacting to return the detector to normal pos1- tion.

2. In a side slipping weft detector for looms having a detecting element which moves forwardly without side slipping movement when sufficient weft is present but which" slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhaustion, a stand for the detector element,

' a coil spring secured at one end thereof to the stand and extendingsubstantially parallel to the surface being detected, means defining a connection between the detector element and the other end of the spring, said spring acting to hold the detector element normally in detecting position and yieldin to bend the axis thereof forwardly on non-indicating detecting beats of the loom and yielding in another direction to bend the axis in the op-.

position direction on an indicating movement of the detector element, said spring acting-to return the detector to normal position.

3. In a 'side slippingweft detector for looms having a detecting element which moves forwardly without side slipping movement when sufficient weft is present but which slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhausand tending tion, a stand to support the detector element, a coil spring fastened at one end to the stand and at the other end to the detector element to hold the latter in normal detecting position, the axis of the spring extend ing substantially parallel to the surface being detected, said spring yielding forwardly on non-indicating detecting beats of the loom to give the axis of the spring a compound defiection and said s'pi'ingbending rearwardly on indicating movements of the detector to give the axis a simple deflection, said spring acting to return the detector to normal position.

4. In a side slipping-weft detector for looms having a detecting I element which moves forwardly without side slipping movetion on non-indicating detecting movements of the detector and being given a rearward lateral movement on indicating movements of the detector, said spring acting to return the detector to normal position.

. ,5. In a side slipping weft detector for looms having a detecting element which moves forwardly without side slipping-- movement when sufiicient weft is present but which slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhaustion, a stand to support the detector element, a spring secured at one end to the stand and'at the other end to the detector element, said spring having the normal axis thereof substantially parallel to the surface being detected and being deflected to one side of the normal axis on non-indicating detecting movements of the detector element and being deflected to the other side of the normal axis on indicating movements of the detector, said spring acting to return the detector to normal position.

6. In a side sli ping weft detector for looms having a etecting element which moves forwardly without side slipping movement when sufiicient weft is present but which slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhaustion, said detector comprising a single piece of wire formed at its rear end to enter coils of am on the bobbin and to slide along a denu ed. bobbin, an actuator to cooperate with a portion ofthe wire of which the detector is formed, a member movable forward.- ly at the time of transfer, said detector having portions thereof located in. front of and normally out of contact with the member and bent at right angles to form a corner into which a portion of 'the member extends when moved forwardly away from the actuator to withdraw the detector, said member lying between the corner in the detector and the actuator.

7. In a side sli ping weft detector for looms having a etecting element which moves forwardly without side slipping movement when sufiicient weft is present but which slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhaustion, said detector comprising a single piece of bent wire one end of which is formed to cooperate with the surfane to be-detected and the other end of which is formed as a controller, an actuator to be controlled by the stantially parallel to the surface being detected and held at one end to said stand and secured at the other end thereof to said detector adjacent the controller end, said spring yielding in one direction with respect to the normal axis thereof when the detector has anon-indicating detecting movement-to move the controller end of said detector out of controlling positionfor the actuator and the axis of said spring assuming another position with respect to the normal axis thereof when the detector slides along a denuded bobbin to leave the controller 'end thereof in controlling position for the actuator.

8. In a side slipping weft detector for looms, a stand, a detector formed of a single piece of wire extending through and supported by said stand, said wire bein formed on the rear end thereof to have ho ding engagement of a sufficient supply of weft to be moved forwardly without longitudinal movement with respect to the bobbin he the supply of weft varies but having a longitudinal movement along a bobbin having insutlieient weft, an actuator, a-guide for the actuator havin a shelf, the forward end of said wire of which the detector is made resting on the shelf and normally lying in the path of the actuator, and a helical coil spring having one end held to the stand in fixed position and having the other end secured to the detector at a point adjacent the actuator and shelf,

till

said spring having a normal axis thereof parallel to the surface bein detected and yielding forwardly as the detector is advanced y a suficient supply of weft to withdraw the end of thedetector from the path of the actuator and said spring yielding in another direction when the detector moves along a substantially exhausted bobbin so that the end of the detector on the shelf will remain in the path of the actuator, said spring acting to restore the detector to normal osition. 1

9. n a side slipping weft detector for looms having a detecting element which moves forwardly without side slipping movement when suflicient weft is present but which slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhaustion, said detector comprising a single piece of Wire formed at its rear end to enter coils of yarn on the bobbin and to slide along a denuded bobbin, an actuatorto cooperate with a portion of the wire of which the detectoris formed, a member movable forwardly at the time of transfer, means tendweenie ing to move the detector angularly whenever said detector is moved forwardly, said detector and member'being so formed that When said member engages the detector to withdraw the same said detector will be held against'the action of the means which tends normally to give said detector an angular movement, whereby that portion of the detector which cooperates with the actuator will be moved relatively to said actuator;

10. In a side slipping weft detector for looms having a detectmg element which moves forwardly without side slipping movement when sufficient weft is present but which slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhaustion, said detector comprising a single piece of wire formed at its rear end to enter coils of yarn on the bobbin and. to slide along a denuded bobbin, an actuator to cooperate with a portion of the wire of which the r detector is formed, a member movable forwardly at the time of transfer,means tendin to move the detector angularly whenever said detector is moved forwardly, said detector having a portion extendin in the path of the member to be engaged by the latter, and a device effective when said member engages the detector to prevent angular movement of the latter to thereby insure movement of that end of the detector which cooperates with the actuator relatively to said actuator.

11. In a side slipping weft detector for looms having a detectin element which moves forwardly without side slipping movement when sufiicient weft is present but which slides along the bobbin at substantial weft exhaustion, said detector comprising a single piece of wire formed at its rear end to enter coils of yarn on the bobbin and to slide along a denuded bobbin, an actuator to cooperate with a portion of the wire of which the detector is formed, a member movable forwardly at the time of transfer, means tending to move the detector an'gularly whenever said detector is moved forwardly, said detector having a portion extending in front of the member and having parts to engage said member to prevent angular movement of the detector relatively to the plane of movement of the member when the latter moves forwardly, whereby that portion of the detector which cooperates with the actuator is moved out of the path of the latter when the detector moves forwardly.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atfixed my signature.

RICHARD o. TURNER. 

